Auditions for comedy troupe take a twist Laughing out loud

April 19, 2006|LAUREEN FAGAN Tribune Staff Writer

A funny thing happened on the way to the auditions. Sure, it sounds like one of the improv jokes you'd hear from Essential Stupidity, a group of four young, Mishawaka-based comedians trying to make their way in the business of funny. But in this case, it was true. When Donovan Smithers, Adam Hegg and a few other members held auditions at the Comfort Inn and Suites on Main Street, they hung around in the lobby watching the tube until some we-think-we-make-you-laugh hopefuls arrived. And then they proceeded to get stuck in the elevator on their hapless way to the second-floor meeting room. "We were just kind of making fun of it," said 16-year-old Spencer Mazur, of Granger, a Penn High School sophomore. "We only have three minutes to live," he intoned, mimicking a panic that never actually happened. And soon enough, Spencer was working a few improv sketches as Smithers, Hegg and Sarah Myers egged them on and evaluated their work. "This is another improv," Smithers said as Spencer was joined by 17-year-old Jeff Carrier, a Clay High School junior from South Bend. "You are asking Jeff for relationship advice because you're 10 years old and you like a girl," he explained. Then he turned to Jeff. "Jeff, you are a hellion." Whereupon the studly "fourth-grader," leaning against a wall and pretending to smoke, suggested showing off some Pokemon cards. To get chicks, naturally. In another scenario, the boys portrayed a grocery-line incident involving an express lane held up by a woman with waay too many items and even more expired coupons. Why try out for the Essential Stupidity team, though? "They came to Clay one day last year," said Carrier, a student Smithers has reached through his school drama-program outreach efforts. "I just like performing -- other types of drama, too," he said, explaining his love of improv. "This is a lot more laid-back, and it's fun because it makes other people laugh." As for Spencer, he hangs around so much, Smithers and Hegg insist he knows their lines as well as they do. "I thought it would be fun to be in one of their shows," Spencer explained. "It's just fun to try and come up with stuff on the spot and make it funny."Staff writer Laureen Fagan: lfagan@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6344